Most jumpers die, of internal injuries, broken bones and skull fractures, or drowning.
But the 17 year-old lived, and a statement from his school said he suffered no severe injuries beyond bruising and tenderness. He was rescued by a surfer who paddled over and took him ashore, California Highway Patrol Officer Chris Rardin said.
“It’s a miracle in itself,” Rardin said. “The majority of folks do not survive this type of fall.”
Windsor Unified School District Superintendent Bill McDermott said he did not think the teen was trying to commit suicide, but instead jumped after other pupils from Windsor High School in Sonoma County urged him on. Several witnesses saw the teen go over the railing.
Full story: Schoolboy survives 220-foot drop from Golden Gate Bridge